Mujuru snubs Heroes 'bash'

HARARE - Former Vice President Joice Mujuru, ex-Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and scores of liberation war stalwarts who were brutally purged from the warring post-congress Zanu PF and government yesterday snubbed Heroes Day commemorations around the country.

It had been suggested in the days leading to yesterday that Mujuru would attend the commemorations at the National Heroes Acre in Harare, not least because her decorated late liberation struggle icon husband, General Solomon Mujuru, is buried there.

Had she attended the function, this would have seen her come face to face with President Robert Mugabe — their first meeting since the former VP and her close allies were brutally purged from the post-congress Zanu PF and government late last year on murky allegations of plotting to oust and kill the frail nonagenarian.

The late General Solomon Mujuru's grave is deserted as his family snubbed Heroes commemorations. Pic: Annie Mpalume

The spokesperson of the “original” Zanu PF formation that uses the slogan People First, Rugare Gumbo — who also speaks on behalf of Mujuru — said Mugabe’s former second-in-command had chosen to commemorate the life of her husband elsewhere, rather than at the national shrine.

“She did not think it was necessary for her to be there as she could still, like any other Zimbabwean, remember our heroes anywhere she likes,” Gumbo told the Daily News yesterday.

Addressing people gathered at Heroes Acre, Mugabe took the opportunity to yet again castigate Mujuru and her allies, warning that by taking him on, they were all forfeiting their right to be buried at the shrine.

In apparent response to recent charges by fiery former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda that some people who are buried at Heroes Acre were undeserving of their hero status and would thus one day be removed from the shrine, the embattled nonagenarian described the utterances as “absurd”.

“Heroes were, and are, consistently loyal to the liberation cause, have their patriotism, selflessness, courage, determination, never questionable, or in any doubt, at any point in time.

“Heroes do not become heroes after they are dead! They proved to be heroes as they fought, lived for, and died for the liberation of Zimbabwe. They never abandoned battle! They never were rebels. They never were weak-hearted. They never were selfish, or sell-outs…” Mugabe thundered.

“You do not become a hero by being a member of the MDC or any other Western-sponsored party. Yes, there are some who are doing that and you have all heard it in MDC discussions. The same people would want to be declared heroes but can we accord them that status simply because they were once in politics,” he added.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily News on the eve of Heroes Day, Sibanda bemoaned the fact that liberation struggle icons like General Mujuru, whose badly charred remains were found after a mysterious fire at his Beatrice farm in 2011, and whose funeral attracted the biggest crowd ever witnessed at the Heroes Acre, had had their names dragged in the mud as the warring ruling party’s mindless factional and succession bloodletting continues unabated.

He also argued that many other gallant freedom fighters such as the late former Zipra commander Lookout Masuku and Shebba Takavarwisa, a former Zanla cadre — who were both denied hero status — were more deserving than many who had been interred at the national shrine.

The Heroes commemorations came at a time that Mujuru has been under the spotlight after firebrand war veteran, Margaret Dongo, launched a new political party last week to challenge Mugabe and Zanu PF, noting bluntly that arrogant and corrupt ruling party bigwigs were fomenting Zimbabwe’s mounting political and economic woes.

The new party, the Movement for People First — which is different from the “original” Zanu PF formation fronted by liberation struggle stalwarts — will contest the much-anticipated 2018 national elections.

Dongo said the new party had “a great team of patriots driven by a very strong conviction that there is need, given this country’s prevailing political, social and economic circumstances to come up with a truly and practically people-centred, patriotic political formation whose premise is the people themselves”.

Analysts told the Daily News last week that Dongo’s move would put immense pressure on the seemingly hesitant Mujuru, who has been touted as the leader of the People First movement, although she is still to publicly pronounce her association with the rival Zanu PF formation herself.

“Therefore, for all those persons who have been enjoying it on the fence, claiming they are out of Zanu PF, we say this is the occasion for them to show where they really stand, whether they like it or not. The enemy has been provoked, it is time to engage,” Dongo said in remarks that were interpreted as targeted at Mujuru.

She added that in launching the new party, she was “guided by the liberation war tactic of provoking the enemy in order to engage the coward and fence-sitters among us into battle”.

The analysts who spoke to the Daily News said Dongo, 55 — a former Zanu PF legislator and founder of the Zimbabwe Union of Democrats — could make a significant impact on the political scene given Zanu PF’s deadly infighting and the fact that she enjoyed the respect of many war veterans and ordinary Zimbabweans for her principled political stand.

Her re-entry into the congested political fray also means that she would be among a stellar cast of candidates that include indefatigable opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, 63, who will take Mugabe head-on in the 2018 presidential elections — if the long-ruling and frail nonagenarian will still be the post-congress Zanu PF’s candidate in those polls.

Dongo, who says she was mentored into politics by Mugabe’s first wife Sally, recently received death threats, allegedly from government spooks, because of her political work.

She has regularly challenged Mugabe and Zanu PF on their failings and misrule.

Comments (26)

Is Mugabe saying that anyone who opposes his dictatorship no longer qualifies to be accorded national heroes status? The all those buries at the national shrine must be exhumed and buried somewhere because if they were alive, none will be agreeing with Mugabe. In fact some like Solomon Mujuru, were no longer agreeing with Mugabe's misrule. RIP Zimbabwe and Cry the beloved country.

Ziziharinanyanga - 11 August 2015

Yes he is Zizi, that's exactly what he is saying. You have to be a member of his cult to be buried there.

mukwerekwere - 11 August 2015

Heroes acre lost its credibility long ago....

X-MAN IV - 11 August 2015

"Mujuru snubs Heroes 'bash'. " So what ? Because she is not getting any benefits from the government or she knew no sheep is going to stand up for her on her arrival at the Heroes Acre as she used to. Wait till Bob calls her back: she will be the first to get there. She is a f&4?k=ng hepocrite. Actually I expect her to be charged for pornography. Bob said she stripped complete nacked when she performed rituals as directed by her hired ngangas to conjure forces of darkness to give her power to land the post of presidency.That is porno pure - and its illegal in Zimbabwe.

Masamba Akareyo - Tanganda - 11 August 2015

“She did not think it was necessary for her to be there as she could still, like any other Zimbabwean, remember our heroes anywhere she likes,” Gumbo told the Daily News yesterday. Gumbo uri hari yegangazha asina ani anoida. The more you make noise for Mujuru the more you make a fool of yourself. Indava kudzikisirapasi veMberengwa ? Zwokwadi,zwokwadi handisati ndamboona fuza rakaita sewe rinobva kuMberengwa.

Masamba Akareyo - Tanganda - 11 August 2015

U only know how to shout Mugabe. U are no longer a hero to us. Infact u are our bigest enemy worst than Ian Smith. Better for u to die today cos come 2018 no one can vote for u and if u die afer, u will also be burried kwa Zvimba.

dembo - 11 August 2015

masamba u are an asshole

tsika mutanda - 11 August 2015

@Dzasukwa & tsikamutanda. You venting your anger ona wrong person. Where in my comment does it say I am a fan of Mugabe ? Referring to what he said about Mujuru does not in any way qualify me to his fan club. There must be something big that drive you crazy if anybody quotes what Mugabe said. My guess is that muri NGOCHANA. Siyanai neni.Endai munopengera kwamakoroyewa or better still you can google address ya Bob muenda munomupengera kumba kwake.

Guys dont waste your time arguing with a fool masamba. Masam,ba has already shown his level of shallow minded anallysis to the matter of Mujuru not attending heroes commemorations. Its pointless to agrue with Masamba bcoz he deserves to be in the special class and psychiatric unit . His points of arguments are baseless anongoita kunge a lay man ari mu shabeen. Mafana go and read struggles within struggles by M Sithole, The story of my Life by Nkomo etc. It may help you kuti ukwanise kuita discussions using brains not pubic hair mafana

Paul Mzeleza - 12 August 2015

Mugabes heroes are his not national heroes. National heroes belong to Zimbos regardless of political affiliation,tribe, religion or race. The qualification is achievements of national appeal be it socially, politically or bussiness. Masamba is driven by hate which shall deliver him to hell. I failed to visit my rural home where my true heroes are becoz of man made poverty. Pasi nenhafu!!!!!

@Paul Mzeleza. I don`t need to grab a bunch of newsprint bound together into a book to learn the history of our struggle for liberation. My uncle who was there in the heat of the struggle is still alive and is a far much more reliable source of our country history than the individuals you mentioned. When I am bored, maybe, but I would rather hunt for Kwaedza first. Dai Joyce angaachiri VP ayisaenda kuHeroes Acre here ? Saka kwauri iwe as a Zimbabwean (not taking into account your blind love of her) musiano uri papi ? You can only proclaim your love of her as you are doing here if you benefitted from her corruption which she publicly condoned. WE SHALL NEVER BE FOOLED by people who partook in landing our country in the mess it is in today. NEVER !

Masamba Akareyo - Tanganda - 12 August 2015

@EL-DODO. I am sorry to hear that you failed to journey to your rural area to celebrate your fallen heroes which by default are my heroes as well. They fought for our liberation - honestly and selflessly so. Yes they are our true heroes and they will ever remain so. Yes hate for those who ride the gravy train for 35 years without minding about the suffering of Zimbabweans only to change stance and say now they are with us when they got catapulted out of their train I have. For me I feel better if they enjoy their loot in silence than for them kutiona sezwitototo, zwipashumaranga , zwisingaoni.

This fellow Masamba of obnoxious behavior has already shown us the maximum level of stupidity. I have never supported and will never support ZANU PF thugs. Mai juru , Bob both played their part in contributing to the suffering of the people. Masamba do not try to use Mujuru as a yardstick for the failure of your part , The mess in todays Zimbabwe is bcoz of a plethora of factors ranging from poor leadership, policies, corruption etc including people like you maggots who cannot read inbetween lines. Mujuru was part of the system wc created more harm than good to the Zimbos. I wont waste my time arguing with an insane " He goat aka mbonjo" Masamba. Where are the 2 million jobs, Zim asset just a paper tiger . Young men ndimi munenge muri kuiswa kumanure nana backman imi. Just appreciate kuti Mdala is failing akura kwete kuti gotsi papata

Bob now think like my young kid. At one time he fell from a tree thinking that he can fly like a bird. Is he telling us that being buried at that shrine is an achievement of some sort? Its time you have to call it quits Mr President. The reasoning is getting shallow with age now. Its an open secret that your gvt has failed us. Please, kindly step down and let someone like Morgan take over. He has everything that it takes to steer the sinking ship

piaget - 13 August 2015

I don't blame Mai M for not showing up. I wouldn't have either. She can at least spend some sombre but peaceful time on her own at Solomon's gaveside without all the hypocrisy that goes with the whole heroes acre thing.

TruthBTold - 13 August 2015

Kikikikikik zvakaoma nhamo inenharo

tindo - 14 August 2015

kkkkkk a person becomes a hero when he is dead when he is alive he is a legend

mombeshora - 15 August 2015

The heading should be Joyce Mujuru snubs husband .

Hayibo ! - 17 August 2015

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